For the Contest: XFactor
by IdiotWithaBoxandaScrewdriver
Summary: Hao decides to get rid of the only human in the Asakura family, but gets a little more than he bargained for. For SK-fan7's contest!


Wolf: So, this is for the January challenge that SK-fan7 set up, and it is introducing an OC. There is a crossover with X-Men in this oneshot, and if you like my new little spitfire I might give her a fic of her own, so without further ado, on with the fic!

Hao Asakura lived. His brother had merely wounded him, not killed him, though Hao felt that killing him was never Yoh's intention at all. It only added to Yoh's foolishness in his opinion, if he let his enemy live, how was he defeated?

The next moment of idiocy from his so-called family in his opinion was their contact with the 'other Asakura'. Hao had known about the sister who had no shamanic abilities for quite some time. Her name was Kiyoko, and she would be nineteen by this point, three years older than the twins.

She'd been sent away from the family when he'd been born, to somehow protect her from his wrath. How sending her away from the power of the Asakura family and leaving her open to attack would protect her was beyond his comprehension, but he supposed they underestimated his ability to root out such information. He knew where she'd been sent, but never bothered with her; he had other, more important matters to take care of.

But now, bringing her here, to the Shaman King tournament, was a show of bravado that he could not tolerate. They did not know he was alive as of yet, otherwise they would not have dared bring her here, but he would have to teach them the error of their ways. He would prune away the weak branch of the Asakura family, leaving it untainted by humans once more.

%&%&%&%

Kanna was in a rare good mood. She would get to deal with the human Asakura girl herself, Hao-sama had promised her. She and the rest of his followers were following him up to the cliff where the Asakuras were set to meet their lost lamb for the first time in years. She smirked to herself; they didn't know it was going to be the last time they would ever see her.

There were cries of amazement, anger and dismay when Hao-sama appeared before the Asakuras and Yoh's little gang of idiots. Yoh was the only one who didn't look surprised, in fact to Kanna's eyes, he looked almost relieved. That look turned serious quickly, it seemed the younger twin already had an idea of what they were doing there.

They all moved towards the Asakuras, spreading across the edge of the cliff, making certain that if push came to shove, they wouldn't be able to come to the defence of the human. Kanna saw Yoh shaking his head sadly at Hao-sama, but he didn't rebuke him verbally; it seemed Yoh understood his older twin more than they, including Hao-sama, believed. Kanna also knew that he would be the first to try and fight.

It was then that the human girl made her appearance at the far end of the open clearing at the cliff edge. Silva was with her and stopped dead at the sight of all of them. The girl stopped too. It was hard to make any sort of assertion about her, other than she was tall and seemed to like dark colours.

She was wearing a black hooded sweater, undone, with the hood up covering most of her face. Underneath was what looked like a dark brown tank top. Black khaki pants were stuffed into black mid-calf high combat boots with several buckles going round them. She was carrying a pack on her back, which she dropped onto the ground.

Silva attempted to get in the way, but Bill stopped him, grabbing him and blocking him from getting to her. Kanna stepped out, Ashcroft clanking along beside her in his armour. The Asakuras were now pleading and threatening Hao-sama.

"You foolishly believed I was dead and brought her here. Now I will take the opportunity to rid the Asakura family of its... weakness." Hao-sama's voice was mocking, but almost friendly, like it normally was. The girl inclined her head towards him, but the hood hid most of her face but her mouth, which revealed nothing, devoid of expression. Her left hand dropped to her belt as she turned her attention back to Ashcroft, and she eased her legs further apart, dropping into a firmer stance.

"So, going to fight back after all, huh?" Kanna mocked. "This might actually be interesting. Ashcroft!"

Her spirit leapt forward, bringing up his lance. As he was about to hit, Kiyoko moved, bringing the hand up from her belt with a short baton in it. It lengthened into a metal staff, which knocked Ashcroft's blow away as she dodged out of the way. She took a stance once again, bracing herself for the next attack, swinging the staff lazily, as though bored.

Ashcroft attacked again, and Kiyoko dodged, moving further out into the clearing. The two of them exchanged blows, neither of them dominating the other for some time. Kiyoko spun and removed her sweater as Ashcroft tried to run her through, bringing her staff down on his lance and shooting one foot out to kick him in the chest. The ringing clang told Kanna that her boots were likely steel-toed.

The two combatants paused for a moment and Kanna took the time to observe what was now revealed about Kiyoko. Her skin was lightly tanned. Her hair was chestnut brown and short and instead of the signature Asakura bangs, it was teased back from her forehead in short, choppy waves that looked like soft spikes. She looked much like Hao-sama and Yoh, though her face was narrower. Her expression still revealed nothing. The only thing that struck Kanna was that she was scarred.

Three parallel scars marred the right side of her face, looking like deep claw marks. One sliced through her eyebrow and continued up almost to her hairline, the others travelling across her cheek. Another three scars, much like the ones on her face, marked her left upper arm. Kanna wondered briefly if there were more, and then ordered Ashcroft to attack again.

The two fighters had been getting closer and closer as they fought. Kanna watched as the dark brown eyes, reminding her so much of Hao-sama's with their lack of expression, flicked to her several times as she fought. Suddenly she pivoted as Ashcroft lunged in frustration, and ducked under his arm, dodging around him.

Kiyoko's face finally changed from its empty look. It split into a predatory smile that was made all the more frightening by the sharp, inhuman teeth that filled her mouth. Kiyoko lunged forwards, as though diving at the ground. As her hands made contact with the earth she leapt again, this time at Kanna. Kanna only had time to realize that the girl was changing into something else, pupils narrowing to cat-like slits as she leapt, before she was hit and fell backwards to the ground, air knocked from her lungs.

When her head cleared moments later she realized there was a heavy paw, claws pricking her skin lightly, pressed against her breasts, and a large set of jaws around her throat, sharp teeth just barely brushing her skin. Her eyes rolled, she dared not move, and she stared at the fully grown female lion looming over her. She couldn't breathe, she had not been this afraid ever.

The muzzle slowly lifted from her throat and chocolate brown eyes stared down at her. Kanna swallowed, the dark depths were both human and inhuman at once and she had no doubt that Kiyoko wouldn't hesitate to kill her if she felt it necessary. She thought she heard quiet footsteps, but her heart was pounding so hard in her ears she couldn't be sure of anything.

The paw didn't leave her chest as Kiyoko looked up, towards where Hao-sama was standing. Kanna arched her head back, looking at her master upside down. Hao-sama had a thoughtful look on his face. The lioness and the fire shaman stared each other down for a moment, before Hao-sama smiled.

"Stand down." He ordered the others. "I'd rather not lose one of my most powerful and faithful of followers." Weapons were lowered at his words. Kiyoko stared at him a moment more before her attention was taken up by something behind her. She gave a short growl and then leapt away.

Kanna lifted herself onto her elbows and stared in confusion as Kiyoko, still a lion, ran up to a hairy, dark-haired man with jeans and a white t-shirt and rose on her hind legs, wrapping her front paws around his middle and biting at his throat.

A hand, or a paw, covered in blue fur and having immaculately manicured claws as opposed to fingernails superimposed itself in her vision and she jumped, looking up. A blue-furred, cat-like face stared down at her, golden eyes kind behind round spectacles perched on a muzzle.

"It's alright, I won't hurt you." He said in an even voice. Kanna gave him a suspicious look, but took his hand all the same. "I'm Doctor Henry McCoy." He said as he helped her to his feet. "I'm one of Kiyoko's teachers. The man she's using as a chew toy is Logan, her combat instructor." Kanna stared as Kiyoko 'attacked' the man.

"I don't understand." She said.

"Kiyoko was merely giving you a warning, should you choose to ignore it she would attack you a little more ferociously next time." Dr. McCoy explained gently. "She's not as gentle with Logan because of his enhanced healing capabilities. Any holes she pokes in him heal in a matter of minutes. Part of why she likes him so much."

"And what exactly is she?" Hao-sama's voice rang out as he strode towards the two of them.

"Same as me, or Logan, a mutant." Dr. McCoy explained. "Her ability is shapeshifting into other animals, within certain parameters, of course." Hao-sama raised an eyebrow at him. "She can't get too big or too small." He elaborated. "The stress is too much and she has a heart attack."

"I see, and what are you doing here?" Dr McCoy chuckled.

"Logan had another argument with another teacher at the school, and Charles 'suggested' that he make sure Kiyoko wasn't getting into trouble. Of course, he then had to drag me along." Dr. McCoy said with a roll of his eyes.

Suddenly Kiyoko was pushing in between them, human again, and getting into Hao-sama's face. She loomed over him, hands on her hips. Kanna waited, wondering if she would attack. "As much as I enjoy testing my skills against other peoples' talents, I am on vacation and would like to stay that way." Kiyoko's voice was low for a female, and a typical New York City drawl. "If ya keep sending your little goonies after me, you're going to wake up one morning with a bitten ass."

With that she gave Kanna a quick flirtatious wink and spun on her heel, changing back into a lioness and going back to 'attacking' Logan. Dr. McCoy chuckled quietly.

"Not quite what you were expecting, is she?"


End file.
